1975 Sexist OSU Newsletter
The Old Man, the newsletter of the Ohio State University Men’s Rugby club announced the formation of the Ohio State women’s team. Note the graphic illustration of a female player.
1977 The Pitch
The Tube and the Pitch, two different Ohio State Women’s team newsletters from 1977 show the grassroots organizing, bawdy nature of women’s rugby at the time.
Support us today!
When you contribute to the U.S. Women’s Rugby Foundation you become part of a movement to support girls and women involved in rugby.
We are a 501(c) (3) non-profit organization.
All donations made are tax deductible.
Support us today!
When you contribute to the U.S. Women’s Rugby Foundation you become part of a movement to support girls and women involved in rugby.
We are a 501(c) (3) non-profit organization.
All donations made are tax deductible.
Becky Carlson
Becky Carlson is the Director of Athletics at the University of Maine at Kent. In 2010 she became the first female NCAA Division I women’s rugby head coach at Quinnipiac University. QU was the first NCAA D1 program to be built entirely from the ground up — not elevated from a club — making Becky’s role both groundbreaking and foundational for the sport.
A co-founder of NIRA and a key architect of the NCAA women’s rugby initiative, Becky went on to lead Quinnipiac to three consecutive NIRA/NCAA D1 National Championships in 2015, 2016, and 2017. She also served as NIRA Coaches Chair from 2016–2020, helping shape the direction of varsity women’s rugby nationwide.
From 2000 to 2003, she played at Eastern Illinois University, the first NCAA women’s rugby program in the country. She then served as an assistant coach there from 2004 to 2006 before moving into national leadership as manager of the USAR Emerging Sports Initiative heading up the NCAA Women's Rugby initiative.
Beyond the pitch, Becky has become a prominent advocate for women in coaching. She is the founder of the influential Fearless Coach blog, a powerful platform supporting and amplifying the voices of women coaches. In 2024, she graduated from Tulane University School of Law, continuing to expand her influence as a builder, advocate, and changemaker in women’s sports.
Beyond the multiple national championships, Becky is most proud of the many women coaches that came out of her programs and are now Head Coaches or college athletic administrators.